Quick clamping and articulated positive release for a tier of screen frames



Feb. 6, 1968 TONJES ET AL 3,367,4

QUICK CLAMPING AND ARTICULATED POSITIVE RELEASE FOR A TIER OF SCREEN FRAMES Filed June 29, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl. E

65b 3 o IO 6 2o 13 \63 A Q I3 Q50 Q 20 l3 98 33 I 34 96 95 97 7O uzzzn O b; INE/EIL EORS BURL 0. TONJES & ROBERT A. Ll FIG. 2.

Feb. 6, 1968 TONJES ET AL 3,367,498

QUICK CLAMPING AND ARTICULATED POSITIVE RELEASE FOR A TIER OF SCREEN FRAMES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1964 FIG. 4

4 INVENTORS BURL D. TONJES 8. ROBERT A. CLINE United States Patent M 3,367,498 QUICK CLAMPIN G AND ARTICULATED POSITIVE RELEASE FOR A TIER 0F SCREEN FRAMES Burl D. Tonjes, Malinta, and Robert A. Cline, Napoleon,

Ohio, assignors to Gilson Screen Company, Mahnta,

Ohio, a partnership Filed June 29, 1964, Ser. No. 378,761 12 Claims. (Cl. 209319) This invention relates to a quick clamping and articulated positive release device. More particularly, it deals with a clamping-release mechanism for a plurality of tiered elements.

This invention is especially well suited for use on sifters, sorters and screening devices wherein it may clamp a plurality of frames or hollow columnar segments which may be interspersed with screen dividers or sifters for size grading aggregates and which alternately extends the frame elements to their remote position whereby the screens interspersed between them may be easily replaced.

This invention is an improvement of the inventions disclosed in the Tonjes et al. Patents No. 2,959,285 issued Nov. 8, 1960 and No. 3,098,037 issued July 16, 1963.

In devices of this character the process of separation normally begins with the selection of the screening grid sizes. The screen dividers with the appropriate grid sizes are then inserted between the tray elements and clamped into place and the loose aggregate material to be separated is then introduced to the first screen unit having the largest apertures. The largest aggregate, if larger than the apertures, is retained on the screen while the smaller aggregate passes and is encouraged to pass into succeeding screen units with progressively smaller grid sizes. Each screen retains those particles of aggregate which are presented to it and which are too large to pass through its apertures, while the finer aggregate passes through to the next succeeding screen until the residue passes the finest screen provided and is retained, if desired, in the last tray. The separated material is removed at the end of the cycle for further measurement and the device is cleared and made ready for the next sampling.

Modern conditions demand that such separators function at higher productive capacity than previously required. The intrinsic value of these units is substantially increased if the cycling time can be reduced and a greater number of samplings thereby taken in a given period. The time required for removing, cleaning and replacing or substituting screen elements is a substantial factor in the cycling time. The present invention provides among other things a quick clamping and an articulated positive extension means which facilitates removal and replacement or substitution of the screen dividers. Up to this date no means has been produced for positively extending the tray elements and thereby providing a definite and predetermined access space for quick and easy insertion and removal of one or more of the screen elements as desired.

It is the object of this invention to produce an improved separating device having an efficient, simple, effective, light weight and economic quick clamping and alternately positive extending means for a plurality of tiered elements.

It is another object of this invention to provide a readily accessible easily operated clamping means with both adjustable and slightly yieldable push-pull rods permitting operation under various conditions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a selflocking clamping means for tray elements and interspersed divider screens. I

It is still another object of this invention to provide an extending means which when the operating handle thereof 3,357,498 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 is pushed to its full release position exerts a positive extending force to the remotely attached screen frame member moving it to its extreme remote position and as the extreme limit is reached each successive tray member is pulled to its extreme position by the link means thereby insuring a predetermined access space between the tray members which facilitates removal, replacement or a substitution of the divider screens.

Still another object of this invention is to produce a light weight articulated tray connecting means that maintains columnar alignment of the trays while in their unclamped position.

Generally speaking, this invention embodies a plurality of aligned frames with a means for supporting one of said frames and a link means forming connections between adjacent frames and limiting the spacing therebetween and maintaining the alignment thereof. The frames may be separated by removable dividers such as screens and the composite tie-r of aligned frames and screens is spanned by a clamping means having push and pull rods suitably attached at opposite ends of the column or tier for the purpose of clamping and alternately spacing or extending said frames relative to and from said one supporting frame and each other frame. The push and pull rods may be moved from one position to another by an appropriate lever means or by a piston and cylinder means.

An example of one embodiment of the device may comprise a combination in which the whole tier of frames may be movably attached to a reciprocating means and slidably attached to an intermediate frame which in turn may be rotatably mounted on a main support frame. The reciprocator which is rigidly attached to the intermediate frame may be actuated manually or by any suitable power unit. The reciprocating motion imparted to the firmly clamped and unitized series of alternated screen frames and screen dividers enhances rthe flow of the aggregate through the screens until it is retained upon a screen whose apertures are too small for it to pass where it remains until the separating cycle is completed. Flowage through the screen grids may be further accelerated by rocking the intermediate frame on its axis which action distributes the aggregate material more evenly over the exposed surface of the screen. A discharge means may be provided in the peripheral wall of the screen frames whereby the separated sizes of aggregate may be individually removed from their respective enclosures.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of this invention adapted to a portable separator showing a supporting intermediate frame, reciprocating unit and reciprocating means;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the tier of frames and its shaking means as shown in FIG. 1, showing the clamping device in its full release position with the inserted divider screens being shown in the access spaces between the screen frames;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of the clamping device as shown in FIG. 2 with parts broken away and showing theclarnping device in its release and extended position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the tier of frames shown in FIG. 2 with parts broken away showing the transverse rod connecting front and back toggle levers of the clamping device;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view showing the upper eX- tremities of one side of the clamping device in clamped and locked position; and

FIG. 6 is a front view of a tier of frames similar to that shown in FIG. 2 but of another embodiment of this invention comprising a hydraulically operated frame clamping device.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 5, the description of this invention for the purpose of illustration is herein directed to a reciprocating separating device wherein the walled spacer elements of the reciprocated unit are designated as screen frames 10. Said screen frames may be rectangular in shape with vertical walls 11, 12 at the sides and rear, respectively, and a discharge openingclosure 13 at the front. Upper and lower outwardly extending peripheral flanges, rims or lips 14 and 15 respectively on each frame 10 afford clamping and seating surfaces for the screen dividers 20.

Removable screen dividers are provided for insertion in the access space between the screen frames. These screen dividers are of sufiicient dimensions to cover the open bottom area of the screen frames and may be provided with a slightly deformable peripheral rubber-like edging which serves as a gasket to engage the seat portion of the screen frame flanges when in the clamped position. Accurate size grading will be insured if the peripheral edging is applied to the grid screen so that all partial grids are covered thereby preventing the retention of any aggregate on the screen which is smaller than its full grid size. The screen dividers are provided in various grid sizes which may be selected in accordance with testing specifications and inserted between successive screen frames in decreasing grid sizes beginning with the larger grid size in the access space between the first and second screen frame.

Preferably each frame member 10 is connected to its adjacent frame member 10 by the spaced link means 21, which may be located at or adjacent each of the four corners of the frames 10. That portion of the peripheral flanges 14 and 15 located along the sides of the screen frames may extend outwardly from the frame walls 11 and 12 a suflicient distance beyond the screen divider seat portion thereof to accommodate vertically aligned connecting link holes for the connecting links 21 which may have a shank portion 22, a head portion 23 at one end and a removable retaining member 24 at the opposite end.

The bottom screen frame or residue tray differs from the basic screen frame insofar as it may have a permanent solid bottom 31 instead of a removable grid screen. In addition thereto it may also have a rigidly attached vertically slotted clamping anchor flanges 32. In this specific embodiment of a shaking type separator the bottom 31 of the residue tray 30 may be reinforced with rigidly attached structural members 33 forming a base for the follower portion 34 0f the reciprocating mechanism 35.

The uppermost screen frame also differs from the basic screen frame 10 by additionally having vertical clamping anchor flanges 41 with horizontal holes 42 (see FIG. 4). In the specific embodiment of a shaking type separator, the top of the uppermost screen frame member 40 may be provided with a carrier frame 43 with low friction yoke slides 44 which slidably engage the intermediate frame and serve to retain the movable reciprocated unit in its proper relative position within the intermediate frame 50. The fingers of the yoke are spaced apart sufliciently to allow the low friction inserts 45 therein to engage the sides of the intermediate frame with sliding clearance.

The clamping assembly which spans the tiered screen frames 10 and interspersed screen dividers 20 may be attached to the screen frames at the remote ends of the tier, i.e. to frames 30 and 40. For this purpose the upper frame 40 may be provided with rigidly attached vertical anchor flanges 41 which may be located at opposite ends of each side of said frame 40 and which have holes 42 for receiving the rotatable transverse toggle lever connecting rods 62. A knurled operating handle 63 is pivotally connected to the front end of said connecting rods 62. Toggle levers 64 are rigidly attached to the transverse rods 62 preferably at points immediately adjacent to the anchor flanges 41, and the opposite end of the toggle levers 64 contain apertures 65 for pivotally holding the upper transverse tip portion 67 of the push and pull rods 68. The push and pull rods 68 have lower transverse tips 69 for engagement with the tension adjusting means 70. This adjustable tensioning means comprises vertical slots in the anchor flanges 32 that are rigidly attached to the lowermost screen frame 30 at the opposite ends of each side and in alignment with the anchor flanges 41 on the uppermost screen frame 40. These slots in the flanges 32 guide the ends 69 of the rods and prevent them from turning when the adjusting means 70 are operated in order to provide relatively uniform tensioning regardless of the different thicknesses of screen inserts 20 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The transverse tips 67 and 69 of the push and pull rods 68 may be retained in their pivotal connections by push nuts 71 or any other suitable fastening means. The tension adjusting means 70 preferably is a threaded eye bolt, the threaded portion 72 of which is slidably inserted in the hole 73 provided in the lower peripheral edge 15 of the lowermost screen frame 30 adjacent to the vertical anchor flange 32. A hand operable nut 74 may be placed thereon which permits adjustment and equalizing of the clamping tension of the push and pull rods 68. The push and pull rods 68 also have angular portions 75 and 76 near their extremities which provide slight longitudinal yieldability. The angular portion 75 at the upper end of the push and pull rods permits rotation of the toggle levers 64 beyond dead center into a locking position (see FIG. 5). The angular portion 76 at the lower end of the push and pull rods 68 may be more angular and less in length than the upper portion, provided adequate frame clearance is maintained for the push and pull rods 68.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the device in which the push and pull rods 88 at each side, or at each corner, are moved to alternative clamping and extending positions by a hydraulic piston and cylinder means 89 which may be attached directly to one end of each of the rods 88 instead of the toggle levers 64 and manual lever 63. These hydraulic means 89 may be slidably mounted in a stationary base or supporting frame 90 with flexible fluid ducts 91 to a fluid pressure source or pump and valve means 92 such as shown and described in the above mentioned Patent No. 2,959,285.

The reciprocating means 35 comprises a rotatably journalled operating shaft 95 with an eccentric portion 96 which may be at one end and which engages the cooperating follower member 34 located on the reciprocated unit. The operating shaft 95 may be rotated by manual means or any suitable power unit. The said reciprocating means is preferably rigidly attached to a rockable intermediate frame 50 which may be rectangular in shape and of suflicient size and structure to properly encircle, engage and retain the reciprocating means and the reciprocated unit. Preferably the intermediate frame 50 is pivotally or rockably connected to a main supporting base 97 (see FIG. 1) on an axis 98 which is slightly above the center of gravity of the combined rockable assembly comprising the intermediate frame, reciprocating means and reciprocated unit. Details of such an oscillating and tiltable separator are disclosed in the above mentioned Patent No. 3,098,037.

While there is described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that the description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved separating device comprising:

(a) :3 base supporting frame,

(b) an intermediate vibratory frame,

() a reciprocating means attached to said intermediate frame,

(d) an extensible and retractable tier of frames having:

(1) spacing link means connected to and between adjacent frames,

(2) means for attaching one end of said tier to said reciprocating means,

(e) removable screen dividers interspersed between said adjacent frames, and

(f) a toggle lever attached to a rod means for clamping and alternately positively extending said tier of frames which means spans said tier and is attached to and between the two end frames of said tier.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the end of the tier opposite the end attached to the reciprocating means is slidably attached to said intermediate frame by a connecting yoke means with low friction plastic engaging slides.

3. A clamping and articulated positive release mechanism comprising:

(a) a plurality of rectangular walled columnar segments arranged in a tier,

(b) means for supporting one of said columnar segments,

(c) spacing and alignment link means between adjacent columnar segments located at or adjacent each corner of said rectangular segments, and

(d) a clamping means spanning said columnar segments comprising:

(1) four vertical push and pull rods two of which are located at each side of the tiered columnar segments adjacent the vertical edges of the tier,

(2) separate lever means for moving each of said push and pull rods to and from its alternative clamping and releasing positions,

(3) rotatable transverse rods connecting the two lever means at each side of the tier together,

(4) anchor flange means for rotatably connecting said transverse rods to the sides of the uppermost columnar segment, and

(5) a slidable connecting means for attaching said push and pull rods to the lowermost columnar segment.

4. A clamping and articulated positive separating device comprising:

(a) a plurality of frames aligned in a tier, including top and bottom end frames,

(b) means for supporting one of said end frames,

(c) link means connected between adjacent frames limiting the spacing therebetween,

(d) push-pull rod means connected to and extending between said two end frames of said tier,

(e) a slotted means on one side of said one end frame for guiding one end of said rod means,

(f) threaded adjustment means adjacent said slotted means for controlling the tension in said rod means, and

(g) means for operating said rod means at the other end of said frames to clamp and positively separate said frames relative to said one supported frame.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said means for operating said push and pull rod means is a hydraulic cylinder and piston means.

6. A device comprising:

(a) a plurality of aligned vertically spaced frames including top and bottom end frames,

(b) means for supporting one of said end frames,

(c) link means directly connected to each pair of adjacent frames limiting the spacing therebetween,

(d) push and pull rods disposed on opposite sides of said aligned frames, extending between the two end frames, and having rod ends connected to one of said end frames; and

(e) toggle lever means attached to said push and pull rods and the other of said end frames for clamping and positively separating said frames relative to and from said one end supported frame and each other frame.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein said push and pull rods are bent to provide yieldable tensioning.

8. A device according to claim 6 wherein said push and pull rods have operating length adjusting means.

9. A device according to claim 6 wherein said frames contain removable grid screens.

10. A device according to claim 6 including removable screens in the spaces between said frames and wherein the means for supporting one of said frames is attached to a reciprocating means.

11. A device according to claim 6 wherein the link means are double headed spacer pins.

12. A screening device comprising:

(a) a plurality of aligned vertically spaced frames,

including top and bottom end frames,

(b) screen means between said frames,

(c) means for supporting one of said end frames,

(d) link means directly connected to each pair of adjacent frames limiting the spacing therebetween,

(e) push and pull rods disposed on opposite sides of said aligned frames and extending between said two end frames, each of said rods having one of its ends connected to one of said end frames,

(f) fluid operated piston means attached to the other end of each of said rods adjacent the other end frame,

(g) cylinder means for said piston means, said cylinder means being attached to means on said other end frame, whereby said piston and cylinder positively clamp and separate said frame relative to and from said end frames and each other frame, and reciprocating means connected to said support means for said supported one of said end frames for shaking all of said frames and said screens means clamped between them.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 917,325 7/1911 Peshek 292-7 X 1,107,487 8/1914 Brown -200 X 2,207,221 7/ 1940 Johnston 100-200 2,586,474 2/1952 Moore 18-16 X 2,933,190 4/1960 Peterson 210- 2,959,285 11/1960 Tonjes 209-319 3,098,037 7/ 1963 Tonjes 209-260 3,187,894 6/1965 Garces 209-319 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,372 9/ 1909 Great Britain.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

FRANK W. LUTTER, Examiner.

R. HALPER, Assistqm Examiner, 

1. AN IMPROVED SEPARATING DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A BASE SUPPORTING FRAME, (B) AN INTERMEDIATE VIBRATORY FRAME, (C) A RECIPROCATING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID INTERMEDIATE FRAME, (D) AN EXTENSIBLE AND RETRACTABLE TIER OF FRAMES HAVING: (1) SPACING LINK MEANS CONNECTED TO AND BETWEEN ADJACENT FRAMES, (2) MEANS FOR ATTACHING ONE END OF SAID TIER TO SAID RECIPROCATING MEANS, (E) REMOVABLE SCREEN DIVIDERS INTERSPERSED BETWEEN SAID ADJACENT FRAMES, AND (F) A TOGGLE LEVER ATTACHED TO A ROD MEANS FOR CLAMPING AND ALTERNATELY POSITIVELY EXTENDING SAID TIER OF FRAMES WHICH MEANS SPANS SAID TIER AND IS ATTACHED TO AND BETWEEN THE TWO END FRAMES OF SAID TIER. 